PRESERVATION AND MANAGEMENT OF ARCHIVAL MATERIALS IN THE NATIONAL ARCHIVES ENUGU
CHAPTER ONE
1.0 INTRODUCTION
1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
The management and preservation of records has been as old as civilization itself, taking glimpse about civilization and ancient kingdom the facts remain that the records of their activities have survived in form of archeological evidence or written records. The discovery of the manuscripts of the Hebrew Torah in the temple is a good example from biblical times. The Roman emperor Justiman (527 – 565.AD) has been quoted as issuing a decree to his governors in every province to set apart a public building to store their records. As a matter of fact, the measure of a nation’s civilization has always been judged by the pride it places on its written records which form the raw materials of its history.
Undoubtedly, Archives to a layman or an average man in the street will not mean something important or something that should be manage or preserve, but it is realize that to destroy records is to destroy the very source from which reliable history could be written.
According to Oxford Advanced Learner’s dictionary “Archives” can be define as a collection of historical document or records of a government, a family, a place or an organization.
Archives can also be define as those records of any public or private institution which are adjudged worthy of permanent preservation for reference and research purposes and which have been selected for deposit in an archival institution.
Archival management entails preservation as an integral component of overall archival management and must be blended into archives mission, policies, and programs. A responsible management program is pounded on a realistic and clearly stated concept of institutional mission and bases its decision on a well-defined acquisition policy. Such a program accepts responsibility for active management of the preservation of its collections, including using clearly defined criteria to set priorities among its collections.
The archival materials may include books, maps, papers, photographs and other documentary materials, other archival materials include motion picture, sound recording, photographic records and computer-kept records. Micro copies are determined by special registration as a practical medium for making additional copies of warfare, as preservation against normal deterioration or damage for use in international exchange.
The functions of any management archival institution include arrangement, description, publication, reference service and preservation. Among all the functions of record management, preservation is the most important, preservation and management of archival materials does not stop with safe-guarding the archives from loss resulting from fire and flooding. It also includes the provision of workshops and laboratories and well trained staff for conservation and restoration of activities. In Nigeria, these functions seem to have suffered prolong neglect due to misguided actions and misplacement of priorities.
Preservation can be defined as all managerial, technical and financial considerations applied to retard deterioration and extend the useful life of collection materials to ensure their continued availability. Preventive measures can considerably extend the useful life of collections and are usually much more cost-effective than interventive measure taken to remedy damage after deterioration has taken place.
While conservation is the treatment of artifacts by interventive procedures. It should be seen as one option in a programme of collection cave. In the first instance, preventive measures should be employed. Conservative work must be undertaken with care and in accordance with certain principles, in other to maintain the integrity and authenticity of the artifacts, it should be very carefully considered and undertaken only after consultation between curatorial and conservative experts.
Therefore preservation encompasses preventive and interventive procedure and fact is that archival materials were subject to rapid deterioration owing to natural ageing and prolonged stay and as a result of adverse weather effects and environmental factors such as humidity, light, insect, heat, poor handling and pollution. However, for this preservation and interventive procedure, like wrapping the material with clothes, oiling and storing them in cylindrical tubes.
Finally, preservation of document problems increased tremendously as a result of the predominant use of paper in printing and writing.
BRIEF HISTORICAL BACKGROUND OF THE AREA OF STUDY
This pioneering effort of Dr. Kenneth Dike a prominent historian and scholar led to the establishment of the “Nigerian Records Office” in 1954 with its headquarters at Ibadan.
His survey and report of non current official records of Nigeria were accepted by the colonial government and so. On 1st April, 1954 he was appointed the supervision of records to preserve and organize the records of Nigeria.
The Nigerian records office as it was first called was placed in the Federal Ministry of works. It was later transferred as the National Archives to the Federal Ministry of Information where it re-occurred until April 1979, when it was again transferred to the newly created Ministry of Social Development Youth, Sports and Culture.
THE NATIONAL ARCHIVES, ENUGU BRANCH
The National Archives right from the beginning established its branches at Enugu, Kaduna, Lagos etc. The Enugu branch was opened in 1952. The present Assistant Director of National Archives Enugu Branch is Mr. O.E. Okparagi. He is in charge of Eastern zone.
The following are the sections in the National Archives Enugu branch.
(1) Administrative section
(2) Research room section
(3) Library section
(4) Bindery/repair section
(5) Processing unit
(6) Reprographic section
ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE OF NATIONAL ARCHIVES, ENUGU BRANCH
1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
The management of archival materials are very important in the development of the country since it is the past that will determine the future.
The investigator is trying to look into the problems that hinder appropriate management and storage of archival materials.
– The condition of management and storage for archival materials.
– The condition of obsolete equipment for preservation.
– The caliber of staff that are supposed to work in the archival institution.
– The kind of paper and other materials used in the management and preservation of archival material.
The preservation and management of archival materials has suffered prolonged neglect due to misplacement of priorities. Many problems in the field of management and preservation of archival material apply to all countries, but there are, in addition many specific problems concerning each individual storage, degree of deterioration of holdings, the kind of paper and the calibers of staff and the restoration workshop.
1.3 OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY
The objective of the study includes the following:
2) To find out the methods of managing and preserving archival materials in the National Archives Enugu Branch.
3) To identify the problems associated with managing and preserving archival materials.
4) To determine the causes of deterioration of archival materials in National Archives Enugu Branch.
5) To find out the methods of arrangement and description of the archival materials for proper utilization.
6) To suggest the ways the Archival Institution can encourage the staff and users of the archives for optimal utilization of the materials.
7) To recommend measures that will be used to reduce other problems that may be identified.
1.4 SCOPE OF THE STUDY
The scope of this research is limited only to the management and preservation of archival materials in the National Archives, Enugu Branch. It focuses on the archival holdings, the management of its holding, the causes of deterioration of archival materials, the method of arrangement and description of the archival methods.
The researcher could have investigated more of this but due to problems that are peculiar to student researchers which include lack of fund, time constraint and difficulties in obtaining some literature pertaining to the study.
1.5 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
The study will help those that keep records to know the modern and improved method of managing, preserving and also ginger those that make use of archival materials to know how to manage, keep, preserve and conserve their materials and documents properly for posterity use.
1.6 RESEARCH QUESTIONS
(1) What are the causes of deterioration of archival materials at National Archives Enugu Branch?
(2) What are the problem associated with managing and preserving archival materials at the National Archives Enugu?
(3) What are the methods of managing and preserving archival materials at the National Archives Enugu Branch?
(4) What recommendation would help to solve the problems associated with preservation of archival materials that may identified.
(5) What ways can archival institutions encourage the staff and user of the archive for optimal utilization of the materials?
(6) What are the method of arrangement and description of archival materials for proper utilization?
1.7 DEFINITION OF TERMS
Preservation: This is a branch of library and information science concerned with maintaining or restoring access to artifacts, documents and records through the study, diagnosis, treatment and prevention of decay and damage.
Management: Management is an individual or a group of individuals that accept responsibilities to run an organization. They plan, organize, direct and control all the essential activities of the organization.
Library Materials can be defined as any book, plate, picture, photograph, print, painting, drawing, map, newspaper, magazine, pamphlet, microform, sound recording, or equipment belonging to, on loan to otherwise in the custody of a library.
Archival Materials: Archival Materials are information objects that serve as evidence of past events. They record information about past activities and act as memory aids that allow its users to recall and relive them or to re-communicate information about those events at some point in the future.
1.8 STATE FOR HYPOTHESIS
Ho: There is significant different between the management of archives and that of libraries.
Ho2: There is significant different between preservation methods in libraries and archives.
Ho3: There is significant different in the organization of the management staff of libraries and that of archives.
Ho4: There is significant different between the users of archives and libraries.
